It is often said that the development of any society depends largely on the development of its people, regardless of gender. Yet, in many rural communities, the dreams of young girls are still sacrificed to poverty, tradition, and early marriage.
For 14-year-old Maryam Muhammad (not real name), education became a distant dream the moment she was married off at the age of 12.
Maryam, who hails from Bugau, a remote community in Ikara Local Government Area of Kaduna State, was in Junior Secondary School Two (JSS 2) when her education was abruptly cut short. In her family of 23 children — 12 boys and 11 girls — marriage decisions are traditionally made by elders, often without considering the wishes of the girls involved.
“I wanted to continue school,” she recalled. “But they said it was time for marriage.”
She said while some of her brothers were allowed to pursue higher education, she was denied the same opportunity.
“Some of my brothers attended tertiary institutions,” she lamented. “I rejected the suitor then, but I had no choice.”
Two years later, Maryam is now an adolescent mother, struggling to balance domestic responsibilities with a dream many around her consider impossible — returning to school.
In Bugau, access to education is already a major challenge. The community has only one primary school, and even that facility is far from conducive for learning. Cracked walls, inadequate learning materials, and poor infrastructure paint a grim picture of neglect.
“After primary school, you have to trek about 10 kilometres to Damau community to attend secondary school,” Maryam explained.
For girls like her, the situation is even more difficult.
Hope, however, came through the PAGED Initiative, an organisation supporting married adolescent girls whose education was interrupted by early marriage. The initiative organises informal classes to help the girls continue learning.
Inside a temporary learning space, Maryam sits attentively with her books, determined not to allow marriage to completely erase her future.
Despite becoming a mother at such a young age, she still believes education can transform her life.
Unlike many men in similar settings, her husband has agreed to allow her continue her education. Yet, support alone has not removed the barriers standing in her way.
The physical strain of early motherhood continues to affect her ability to study consistently.
“There are days I cannot even come because I am not strong,” she said softly.
The absence of a permanent learning centre also threatens the continuity of the programme. The classes currently rely on temporary spaces, leaving both teachers and students uncertain about where the next lesson will hold.
Even the community primary school is sometimes inaccessible.
According to Maryam, the headteacher has prevented the married adolescent girls from using the classrooms until official approval is granted by higher authorities.
As a result, learning sessions are frequently disrupted, forcing the girls to study in unsuitable environments.
A volunteer teacher, Saifullahi Auwalu, said he felt compelled to give back to his community after returning home.
“It is my community, and it pains me seeing that most of them, especially women, cannot read and write,” he said.
“We only want a place where these girls can learn peacefully,” he added.
The Village Head of Bugau, Ibrahim Adamu Bugau, said ensuring that girls attain their full potential through education is essential to the development of society.
“Education should not stop because a girl got married early,” he said.
He explained that when the PAGED Initiative first arrived in the community, the classes were initially held in his house. However, the growing number of participants made it necessary to look for a more conducive learning environment.
“We are working assiduously to ensure that this development brought to our community by the PAGED Initiative is sustained,” he said.
“From when it started to today, we have seen improvement. Some of them can now read.”
For Maryam, every obstacle only strengthens her determination.
She dreams not only of returning fully to school, but also of becoming an example for other girls trapped in the cycle of early marriage and illiteracy.
“I want to help other girls like me understand the importance of education so their lives can be better,” she said.
“I want to learn so I can help my child and my community.”
Her story reflects the harsh reality faced by thousands of adolescent girls across rural Nigeria, where cultural practices, poverty, and weak educational infrastructure continue to deny girls their right to education.
